Hives May Not Be As Hierarchical as We Thought
New research into the social structure of bees shows that the structure of hives may not be “quite so autocratic” as many have thought. In an article published in Nature, author Lauren Gravitz summarizes various contemporary research on bee hive sociality. The article describes how researchers are finding hives to be structured in a decentralized way, with many different parts of bee society working together without a leader to make sure the hive functions. Though the piece relies on research carried out with captive bees, the findings may be useful for advocates who wish to communicate to people about the rich lives of bees.